An inherent disadvantage of snowboards is that they have limited backcountry range away from lift systems. Because a snowboard is a single gliding board, and the bindings attach both of the rider's feet to the snowboard, the rider is substantially restricted to downhill travel. Splitboards have been developed as a hybrid gliding board system that enables back-country snowboarding where pristine powder snow is more likely to be found.
A splitboard is a gliding board for use on snowy terrain. The splitboard can be configured to function in a snowboard mode, wherein two ski-like gliding boards are joined together to function as a single gliding board. In snowboard mode, the bindings are configured to bind the rider's boots to the board with both feet oriented transverse to the splitboard. The splitboard can alternatively be used in a ski mode with the two separate ski-like gliding boards separated, and the bindings configured to bind the rider's boots longitudinally on the gliding boards.
Splitboarding started in the mid-1990s and has grown in popularity in recent years. Splitboards configured in ski mode enable snowboarders to hike up snow covered hills. The rider configures the bindings in a longitudinal ski mode and optionally attaches a traction system such as climbing skins to the bottom surface of the individual skis. When climbing a hill in ski mode, the bindings preferably allow the rider's foot to pivot at the toe, enabling the heel to lift away from the ski.
When a desired elevated position is reached, the individual skis are joined, and the bindings are reconfigured to a transverse snowboard mode to allow the rider to snowboard down the hill. In snowboard mode, the bindings preferably lock the boots securely to the board, toe, and heel to prevent significant movement independent of the board.
Modern splitboard bindings have been designed to reduce the weight associated with an adapter plate/standard binding combination. The reduced weight is crucial in increasing range and duration of extended uphill climbs.
An exemplary splitboard system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,324, to Wariakois, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Another splitboard system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,823,905, to Ritter, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
In the binding system disclosed in Wariakois (using reference numerals from Wariakois), the heel-side ski member 12 has forward and rearward heel slider blocks 60 fixed to the ski member 12. The toe-side ski member 14 has forward and rearward toe slider blocks 58 fixed to the ski member 14. When the ski members 12, 14 are joined for snowboard mode operation, the two forward slider blocks 58, 60 are aligned to slidably engage the left-foot binding 70 base plate 74, and the two rearward slider blocks 58, 60 are aligned to slidably engage the right-foot binding 70 base plate 74. The base plates 74 define lateral and medial U-shaped channels 84 that slidably receive laterally extending flanges 88 on the slider blocks 58, 60. The base plate 74 includes a fixed heel stop 90 extending downwardly from a rear end of the base plate 74. The heel stop 90 is positioned to contact the rear edge of the heel slider block 60 as the base plate 74 is slid fully forward on the slider blocks 58, 60. The user then inserts a pin 94 through aligned apertures 96 provided on the front end of the base plate 74. The pin 94 is positioned to engage the front edge of the toe slider block 58, and, therefore, prevents the base plate 74 from sliding rearward on the slider blocks 58, 60.
Each of the ski members 12, 14 is also provided with a separate toe bracket 130 fixed to the ski member between the toe and heel slider blocks 58, 60. The base plates 74 are each attached to the corresponding toe bracket 130 in ski mode by removing the pin 94, sliding the base plate 74 off of the slider blocks 58, 60, aligning the base plate forward apertures 96 with corresponding apertures 142 on the toe bracket 130, and inserting the pin 94 through the apertures 96, 142. The binding 70 is thereby attached to the gliding board and is pivotable about the pin 94 (unless the user also engages a heel bracket 132 that is provided on the ski).
The binding system disclosed in Wariakois performs its intended purpose. However, removing and replacing the pin to switch between ski mode and snowboard mode can be challenging, particularly in the snowy and icy conditions where the operation must be performed, and particularly in bulky ski gloves. Moreover, switching from ski mode to snowboard mode requires removing the pin, which introduces the risk of the pin becoming lost in the snow.
The present invention is directed to a connection system, or binding, that can easily be switched between ski mode and snowboard mode operation.